Just how big is a Giant Shrew anyway? After scouring several sources, I couldn’t come up with anything definitive. After discussing this on discord, we arrived at a consensus of somewhere between one and three feet long, roughly the size I picture for a Giant Rat.
So next time rookie Players are confronted with that hackneyed old “Big Rats in the Cellar” hook, they might be in for a terrifying surprise… Giant Shrews are nothing to sneeze at mechanically: Two d6 Bite Attacks (the first always winning initiative, and the second getting a +1 bonus), a devastating Save or Skedaddle effect (even a so-called Swordmaster of 3 HD shakes in their boots), a Morale of 10 (TEN!), and Echolocation allowing them to take full advantage of the cover of darkness. As pointed out in discord: That’s a whole lot of trouble for a measly 10 XP (and zilch in the Treasure Type) in OSE.
I don’t know if it was just out of an abundance of caution, or lack of inspiration that has prevented me from using Giant Shrews very often, but after doing this deep dive, I’m pretty sure they’ll show up on more of my Encounter Tables. I love it when players underestimate a foe, and these are a prime candidate for that. Must remember to pepper some Tavern Tales/Rumor Tables with stories of near-Heroes, now humiliated from ingloriously turning tail after stirring up a nest of these brutal beasts!
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